A WOMAN claims she had to cough up £928 after being clamped while helping a pregnant friend.

Rebecca Duff, 20, had parked in front of flats at Priory Mews in Station Avenue, Southend, when LBS Enforcement pounced.

She said she was helping pal Rachel Allen up the stairs to her flat and had only been gone a few minutes when the clampers snared her for not displaying a residents’ parking permit.

Miss Duff, a sales assistant from Hockley, usually borrows a permit from Rachel and boyfriend Mark Townsend but didn’t that day because she was only going to be there for less than ten minutes.

LBS reportedly asked for an initial charge of £525, but after police were called and residents of the flats tried to prevent the clampers from leaving by locking the gates of the car park, this was hiked up.

The car was towed away, and when Miss Duff went to collect it from Websters Way, Rayleigh, the next day, she said LBS asked for £928, which her grandad had to pay on her behalf.

The charge was apparently increased because LBS said its staff had suffered abuse from residents and had to wait while the police were called.

Miss Duff, of Main Road, said: “I’m devastated it’s so much money, and I don’t earn a lot.

“It was in the space of ten minutes and they charged me over £500. They were horrible.

“Someone in the flats locked the gates.”

Mr Townsend, 19, said Miss Allen was “shaken up” by the incident.

He added: “They were very intimidating.

“When they tried to tow away the car, all the residents kicked off.

“One chained the gates.

“But the police said there was nothing they could do.”

An LBS spokesman said: “We have body-cam footage of some irresponsible person chaining the gates up.”